Ore-concentrator.



No. 818,334a PATBNTBD APR. 17, 190e.

B, BALLANTYNE.

om GONGBNTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witwen@ E PATENTED APR. 17, 1906,

B. BALLANTYNE. ORB CONGENTRATOR APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Stmme/1g No. 818,334.' PATBNTED APR. 17, 1906.

B. BALLANTYNE.

ORE CONGENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNTED STATES PATENT enrich.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, i906.

Application filed May 17, 1904. Serial No. 208,457.

Be it known that I, BRIG BALLANTYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumpter, in the county of Baker and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ore-Ooncentrators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a distributing-box for ore-concentrating tables g and it consists of a box or case divided by an inclined partition into an upper and lower receptacle, the upper receptacle containing a distributingchamber into which ore-pulp mixed with water is poured and from thence carried by a suitable duct or ducts to one or more pulppans situated in the lower receptacle, where by the agitation of the distributing-box the heavier particles of ore are separated from the lighter ones and shaken out of the pans onto a concentrating belt or table placed below said pans.

The object of my invention is to improve distributing-boxes of ore-concentrators for the purpose of saving those portions of ore which have been reduced to a fine powder in a stamp-mill and because of their finely-divided condition are held in suspension in the water longer than the coarser particles and in consequence thereof are carried off with the tailings.

ln concentrating ores by means of a vanner the ore-pulp and water are emptied into a box, which distributes the ore-pulp and water by troughs or other well-known means evenly over the belt of the vanner from side to side, the belt and distributing-box in the meantime being shaken laterally. The belt, which has an upturned flange on either side, inclines downwardly from the distributing-box, but travels in the opposite direction-that is, toward said box-the result being a precipitation of the heavier or coarser concentrates on the surface of the belt, to be carried forward by it to a collecting box or trough, while the lighter particles or tailings are carried away by the water as it runs down the belt. With the tailings the fine pulverulent particles of ore heretofore mentioned escape from the concentrator and are lost. By the use of my improved pan the concentrates, both coarse and fine, are almost wholly separated from the tailings and carried to a higher plane before falling on the belt. The water, with the tailings, runs off, therefore, without interfering with the concentrates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is yview of one of the pulp-pans.

a perspective view of a distributing-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective Figs. 4 and 5 are -views in section on the lines 4 4 and 5 5, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 represents a cross-section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows in side elevation the application of the invention to an'organized machine.

y Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts on the several figures.

A indicates a rectangular pulp-distributing box of a size suitable for the work to be performed, closed by a flat top a, the latter having an inlet-opening A near the front side, surrounded by a shield a,, through which ore-pulp is introduced into the distributingbox. The front of the distributingbox A stands vertically and has a number of slots d3 in its lower edge, through which slots the coarser concentrates pass tothe belt below. Gates E are secured to the front of the distributing-box to regulate the size of the slots c3. The bottom of the distributing-box inclines downwardly from rear to front and is formed of one or more fixed pulp-pans.

Each pulp-pan B has a flat upwardly-inclined bottom B and two upright sides B2,

highest at the front and gradually decreasing toward the rear. The forward ends of the sides B2 are turned and fastened to the inner side of the front of the distributingbox, as shown, a space being left between each pan land the adjacent pan or pans. The rear ends of the bottoms B and sides B2 are secured to the rear of the box. The pulp-pans B3 at each end of the box are preferably made with but one side, the ends of said box forming the sides of said pans, The pans are fastened to the distributing-box in such position that the upper edges of their sides B2 are horizontal, while their bottoms B incline downwardly toward the front. A guard-flange b3 projects above the edges of the sides B2 for a short distance back from the front to prevent the tailings from fiowing over the sides of the pan near the outlets for they pass out of the openings or slots a3, and as the box is shaken they fall over the edges of the shelves onto the belt below. A fiange on the front end of the shelves prevents the material from dropping on the belt otherwise than at the sides, which latter are curved downwardly to facilitate the movement of the concentrates.

Near the top of the distributing-'box A is placed a distributing board or partition C, inclined downwardly from front to rear, to which is attached a distributing-chamber C', situated immediately below the inlet-opening A. Into this chamber C the fluid pulp is received from a conducting-pipe A2, (see Fig. 7,) emptying into the inlet-opening A. Supported on the partition C are a number of ducts or channels D, each duct or channel connecting the chamber C with an opening c at the rear of the partition, from each of ,which openings a short pipe or shield a5 leads to a pulp pan or pans below, the fluid pulp being thus equally distributed.

Fastened to the lower horizontal edges of strips c, secured to the under side of the partition C in line with and around the openings c, are curtains or covers F, of canvas, wood, or other suitable material, canvas being here shown, there being a separate curtain for each pulp-pan B. The curtains or covers F lie Hat on the material in the pans and prevent it from splashing.

Brackets H are bolted to the ends of the distributing-box A, by means of which it is supported on a suitable shaking-frame Y. The ends of the brackets are longitudinally slotted for pins or other holding devices, thus permitting the distributing-box to be shaken or otherwise agitated that the pulp may be equally distributed to the several pulp-pans and the heavier parts allowed to settle in the bottoms of the pans and gravitate toward their forward ends and out through the slots a3 onto the shelves b5 and from thence to the concentrating-belt.

In operation the pulp is carried by water through pipe A2 to the inlet a and there discharged into the distributing-chamber C. From thence it is conveyed equally through the several ductsD, openings c, and pipes or shields a5 into the pulp-pans. The distributing-box and vanner-belt X being agitated, the heavy coarse materials in the watery pulp fall to the bottom of the pulp-pans, which being inclined gravitate toward the front and out through openings therein onto the shelf, as heretofore explained. The lighter materials fill the pans and flow over their sides and between the pans to the belt below. The purpose of thusdischarging the coarse and lighter materials at different points is hereinafter explained.

The object of the covers above the pans is to prevent the fluid pulp from splashing as the pans are shaken. The material being kept more quiet by these covers', the fine ore will be given a chancev to precipitate. The ipes or shields a5 discharge into the pans beow the fluid-level, thereby removing another `source of agitation.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the application of `the invention to an organized machine in which the frame Y, which carriesl the distributing box, belt, and cooperating operating parts, is suitably mounted for lateral or sidewise shaking movement on a main frame Y. As shown, the upper stretch X of the belt travels slowly forward in the direction of the arrow over supporting-rollers y, ljournaled in the top of the frame Y, and is slightly inclined downwardly in the reverse directionthat is, toward the rear end of said frame Y. At the front and rear ends of the frame Y the belt passes downward over the head-drum y and upward over the tail-,drum y2, the lower stretch X2 passing from the drum y downward and under a guide-roller @/3, carried by a bracket y, depending'from the forward end of the frame Y, and thence upward and over rollers y, secured to short brackets yG, depending from the center of the frame Y, to the tail-drum y2. On the shaft carrying the head-drum y is a pulley @/7, connected by a belt ys with a pulley z on a shaft z', journaled on the main frame Y, which shaft also carries a pulley z2, connected by abelt z3 with a pulley .et on a drive-shaft 2". The shaft 25 is also ljournaled on the main frame Y and is provided with a pulley e6, whereby it may be driven by a belt from any suitable source of power to communicate motion to the belt through the connections above described. On the ends of shaft z5 are knocker blocks or cams 27, which periodically force the shakingframe Y away from said shaft, the frame being returned by springs or any other suitable means, (not shown,) whereby a lateral vibration or shaking movement of rsaid frame is secured. The guide pulley or roll @/3 and that portion of the belt X passing therearound are intended to be submerged in water in a box or trough 7i, which receives the concentrates, while a tail-race or trough-box Z is provided at the rear of the machine to receive the tailings iowing off at the rear of the upper stretch X of the belt X. The distributing-box A faces toward the drum Y and is disposed a short distance in rear thereof. Brackets z8, rising from frame Y, support a water-box 29 above the belt and between the box A and drum 'y'. trickles or flows onto the upper stretch of the belt. A deflector or distributing-board .210 is lalso supported by the brackets 28 and distributes the water therefrom evenly over the belt. I have here generally shown the shakingframe Y, as the means for mounting the same for lateral movement forms no part of my invention.

In the operation of the organized machine Water from this boxv IOO IIO

the upper stretch X of the belt X moves l not be washed away with the tailings passslowly toward the front of the machine, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7, and said belt is shaken laterally, together with the frame Y and box A, (thus giving the said box an endwise-shaking movement,) by the cams Z7 periodically as the shaft Z5 revolves. This agitation of the box A separates the particles of the pulp in the pulp-pans, the heavier particles settling at the bottom and being carried forward by gravitation on the inclined bottoms B cf the pans to the front portions of the pans, where they discharge through the slots e3 onto the shelves b3 and as the box is shaken fall over the edges of the shelves onto the stretch X of the belt below. The discharge-openings a3 in the front wall of the distributing-box are made of such a size as to admit of only a portion of the pulp-that is, the heavier particles, as described, passing therethrough--so that the larger portion of lighter particles (including the greater part of the water) will be held back or retained in the pan until such water and lighter particles rise to a sufficient height to flow over the top edges of the sides of the pan and thence to the upper stretch of the belt below. As a result of the operation of the distributing-box separating and feeding the particles of the pulp in the manner stated the heavier particles will be deposited upon the upper surface of the belt in advance of the lighter particles, and as such heavier particles have sufficient weight to move forward with the belt against the resistance offered by the water flowing from the box 2 and off the deflector .210 they will be carried forward by the belt and pass with the same down into the concentrates box or trough Z, where they will be washed off the belt by the watervcontained in said trough and drop into the trough, from which they may be collected. The lighter particles, on the other hand, are discharged onto the surface of the belt with a greater portion of the water fed with the pulp to the distributing-box and under the influence of the fiow of this water and that feeding down the belt from the box e are washed against the resistance oered by the forward movement of the belt rearwardly along the surface of the belt and pass ofl` the same at the rear of the apparatus into the tailings trough or receptacle Z. By thus placing the heavier and lighter particles of the pulp on the belt in different positions, the heavier in advance of the lighter in the direction of movement of the upper stretch of the belt, water flowing with the pulp-namely, the water passing with the pulp through the distributing-boxdoes not come in contact with the heavier particles, which are washed only by the water feeding from the box e. Consequently the hner particles of the heavier material or concentrates will not be subjected to the force of any considerable amount of water and will ing to the trough Z. The result is that a large proportion of the precious metal which ordinarily goes to waste is saved and collected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. An ore-concentrating box comprising a box or casing having a series of individual pulp-pans therein arranged side by side, each pan having a downwardly and forwardly inclined bottom with an outlet at its forward end for the discharge of the concentrates, the pans having their side walls arranged in spaced relation to provide intervening side discharges for the tailings.

2. An ore-concentrating box open at its base and provided with discharge-apertures at the lower forward end thereof, a pulp-pan having a forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom closing the open base of the box, and sides extending upwardly from said bottom, said sides diminishing in depth from the forward ends thereof and having their upper edges arranged in a horizontal plane, the forward end of the bottom of the pan being extended to provide a shelf having lateral or side discharges and a forward. transverse fiange.

3. An ore-concentrating box having a pulppan closing the bottom thereof, said box being provided with an inlet at its upper rear end and an outlet at its lower front end, and said pan having a forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom provided with a shelf extending beyond said outlet and having side discharge portions, a partition between said inlet and pulp pan, said partition inclining rearwardly and downwardly from a point below the inlet to a point at the rear of the box above the rear end of the pan, and a conductor at the rear end of the partition leading down into the rear end of the pan for conducting thereto the pulp iiowing from the inlet.

4. An ore-concentrator comprising a box or casing having a series of pulp-pans arranged side by side, and means for distributing the flowing pulp to the pans, said pans being provided at their forward ends with discharges for concentrates and at their sides with discharges for the tailings, the pans being spaced at theirl sides to form passages for the outward flow of the discharged tailings.

5. An ore-concentrator comprising a casing containing a pulp-pan closing the bottom thereof, said casing having an outlet for the concentrates at its forward end and the pan and bottom'wall inclining downwardly toward said outlet, said pan being formed with side walls arranged. in a horizontal plane and with a shelf extending from the bottom thereof beyond said outlet and provided with side discharges, an apron disposed longitudinally in the top portion of the pan and adapted to IOO IIO

lie upon the surface of the contents thereof, and a pulp-conductor supported by the casing and having a discharge-terminal projecting into the upper rear portion of the pan and adapted to discharge the pulp thereinto below the apron and the surface of the contents of the pan.

6. An ore-concentrator comprising a box or casing provided with an outlet at its lower forward end and an inlet at its upper rear end, a pulp-pan closing the bottom of the casing and having a forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom, and upwardly extending sides having their upper edges arranged in a horizontal plane, the said bottom being provided with an extension beyond said outlet forming a shelf having discharge-outlets at its opposite ends, a partition extending on a downward incline from the front to the rear of the casing above the pan and separating the same from the inlet, said partition being provided at its lower end with a dischargeopening, and a conductor leading from said partition into the upper rear portion of the pan.

7. An ore-concentrator comprising a casing provided with an inlet at the top thereof and a series of outlets in its front wall, a series of pulp-pans disposed within said casing and forming closures for the bottom thereof, said pans being arranged in spaced parallel relation, and each pan having a bottom wall inclining downwardly and forwardly to said outlet, a shelf projecting forwardly from the bottom and provided with side discharges, sundry of the pans also having side walls having their edges arranged in a horizontal plane, the contiguous side walls of the series of pans forming intervening discharge-passages, the construction and arrangement of the outlet, the bottom wall and side walls of each pan being such as to cause the concentrates to be discharged through the outlet onto the shelf and the tailings and pulp-water to be retarded and caused to flow over the sides of the pan and down through the intervening passages, aprons supported within the casing and adapted to rest upon the surface of the contents of the pan, a distributingchamber communicating with the inlet of the casing, channels extending from said distributingchamber to a point above the upper rear ends of the pans, and discharge-passages leading from said channels down into the upper rear ends of the pans to discharge the pulp into the same above the surface of the contents thereof and below the level of the aprons.

8. An ore-concentrator comprising a box or casing containing a pulp-pan, said pan closing the base of the casing and comprising a forwardly and downwardly extending bottom terminating in a shelf at the lower front end thereof, sides extending upwardly from said bottom, said sides being highest at the front and decreasing in height rearwardly therefrom and having their upper edges disposed in a horizontal plane, and projections extending above said sides at the forward ends thereof to act as guards or retainers to facilitate the flow of the tailings over the sides of the pans.

9. In an ore-concentrator, a pulp-pan provided with a front discharge for the concentrates, and means for causing the tailings to flow over the sides thereof, and a flexible cover extending longitudinally at the top of the pan and centrally supported, the edges of said cover being free to yield to permit outward flow of the tailings.

l0. A distribut-ing-box having an inlet at its upper front end and containing a rearwardly and downwardly inclined dividingpartition and openings at its rear lower end, a pulp-pan below said inclined partition, the bottom of said pan inclining downwardly and forwardly, said pan having front and lateral discharges for the separated material, and a flexible cover for the pan supported. from the aforesaid partition and extending horizontally over the pan,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BRIG BALLANTYNE.

Witnesses:

S. P. HOLLINGSWORTH, GEORGE M. BOND. 

